Alex & Me: How a Scientist and a Parrot Discovered a Hidden World of Animal Intelligence—and Formed a Deep Bond in the Process

Alex & Me is the remarkable true story of an extraordinary relationship between psychologist Irene M. Pepperberg and Alex, an African Grey parrot who proved scientists and accepted wisdom wrong by demonstrating an astonishing ability to communicate and understand complex ideas. A New York Times bestseller and selected as one of the paper’s critic’sTop Ten Books of theAlex & Me is the remarkable true story of an extraordinary relationship between psychologist Irene M. Pepperberg and Alex, an African Grey parrot who proved scientists and accepted wisdom wrong by demonstrating an astonishing ability to communicate and understand complex ideas. A New York Times bestseller and selected as one of the paper’s critic’sTop Ten Books of the Year, Alex & Me is much more that the story of an incredible scientific breakthrough. It’s a poignant love story and an affectionate remembrance of Pepperberg’s irascible, unforgettable, and always surprising best friend....more

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RebeccaThe book begins with the death, then goes back to the beginning of Irene's life and works right through up to Alex's death again.By having it…moreThe book begins with the death, then goes back to the beginning of Irene's life and works right through up to Alex's death again.By having it explained right on the first page I found it much easier to deal with emotionally. Hope that helps.(less)

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Ms. Pepperberg began doing research on the cognitive capacities of a Gray parrot, Alex, in the 1970s, a time when animals were widely believed to be little more than bio-automatons, lacking not only intellectual capability, but emotions as well. Pepperberg endured years, decades of ridicule, scorn, resistance and a continuing challenge in attempting to find funding to persist with her work. This is her story of Alex, a remarkable animal, clearly possessed of great personality, intelligence, evenMs. Pepperberg began doing research on the cognitive capacities of a Gray parrot, Alex, in the 1970s, a time when animals were widely believed to be little more than bio-automatons, lacking not only intellectual capability, but emotions as well. Pepperberg endured years, decades of ridicule, scorn, resistance and a continuing challenge in attempting to find funding to persist with her work. This is her story of Alex, a remarkable animal, clearly possessed of great personality, intelligence, even a sense of humor. I know from personal experience that animals are much more than animated machines. I have wept at the loss of some of these, both screamed and laughed at their antics. Pepperberg has written a moving story not only about her challenges as a professional researcher, but about her relationship with Alex. This is a fast read, but it is filled with the joy of discovery, delight in the personality of this remarkable bird, and great sadness when Alex passes on. It sounds like a cliché, and probably is, but in reading this book, I really did laugh out loud and I really did cry. This is a moving read as well as an informative one.

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February 2018 – NatGeo – Brainiacs - by Virginia Morell - The focus here is on brainpower, not personality, per se, but is remarkable is in showing that our avian friends are hardly featherweights when it comes to cranial capacity and relationships. Alex comes in for a look....more

So, here's what I expected: a touching memoir about the trials and tribulations -- and joys and moments of wonder -- of working closely with a remarkable creature.

I've heard it said that children often have an easier time bonding with animals than adults. If I were going to theorize, I'd say that maybe it's because although animals may have an inner life that resembles that of humans -- Alex certainly seemed to -- it's not often as developed in animals. They're too busy surviving to spend much tSo, here's what I expected: a touching memoir about the trials and tribulations -- and joys and moments of wonder -- of working closely with a remarkable creature.

I've heard it said that children often have an easier time bonding with animals than adults. If I were going to theorize, I'd say that maybe it's because although animals may have an inner life that resembles that of humans -- Alex certainly seemed to -- it's not often as developed in animals. They're too busy surviving to spend much time navel-gazing. Perhaps in their understanding of self, they've developed to a state equivalent to that of a young child, and therefore, children relate very easily to them and vice versa.

I do not mean to sound insulting to Dr. Pepperberg when I say this, as she's clearly a woman of outstanding intelligence and perseverance. But she also comes across as someone who never finished growing up, and unfortunately, that immaturity is highlighted in this memoir.

There's actually not much space spent, in an already slight book, on her relationship with Alex. Instead, the main theme seems to be: "No one in academia, including my husband, believed in my work with Alex. They were very mean to me. Alex showed them, though, and so did I!"

Pepperberg spends a while talking about her childhood, indignantly telling us about a scarring experience from her childhood, wherein she was too painfully shy to thank a baker for a cookie she was offered, and handed it back when the baker teasingly asked for it, and her mother was annoyed with her.

Honey, if that's the worst experience you can remember from your childhood...well, maybe you're better off not writing about that part of your life if you're looking for sympathy.

Pepperberg also attributes the worst possible motivations to anyone who wasn't 100% behind her. At one point, she tells us about telling a department admin that she's getting married. The admin asks her when she'll be leaving the department.

Now, this took place in (if I recall correctly) the 60s or 70s, so that would hardly be an uncommon question. Most women at that time *did* retire when they married, to focus on being a homemaker and, eventually, a mother.

Pepperberg assumes the woman is bitter because she doesn't have an academic career, and is thinking Hurray! Now a man can take this woman's position, as is appropriate. She doesn't describe anything about the woman's behavior that would suggest such pettiness and resentment behind her common assumption, but clearly expects us to sympathize with her indignant reaction.

Further, while I haven't read any of Pepperberg's academic work, if she writes there like she does here, I understand why she had a hard time being taken seriously.

When young Alex doesn't cooperate one day, she writes in her journal: "Alex being incredibly stupid today!"

Who above the age of 10 thinks in those terms about an animal -- or even a young human -- that they're teaching? When it comes to animals, any good trainer knows that A) animals have moods too, and B) in general, if an animal is repeatedly misbehaving, it's usually the fault of the trainer, not the animal. It seems rather immature on Pepperberg's part to be thinking -- and journaling -- in terms of "stupidity" rather than a lack of cooperation.

I feel bad for her, more than anything else. Bright kids often have trouble learning to socialize normally, and it seems like Pepperberg suffered from this and the resulting social anxiety and was never helped -- or forced -- to get past it and finish growing up.

All in all, the memoir is frustratingly self-centered, Pepperberg comes across as fairly unlikable, and we don't get nearly enough of Alex. The prose is readable, but Pepperberg is obnoxious enough that I ended up skimming for Alex's name and reading those sections, while skipping past the rest....more

Irene Pepperberg was just finishing up a PhD in chemistry when a nature program on animal cognition caused her to abruptly change fields and begin the life-long study of the learning abilities of African Gray parrots. At the time she first purchased a 13-month old Gray from a Chicago pet store, prevailing behaviorist theory held that animals were strictly creatures of instinct, incapable of true language or higher order thinking. Pepperberg's work with her bird Alex, along with similar work beinIrene Pepperberg was just finishing up a PhD in chemistry when a nature program on animal cognition caused her to abruptly change fields and begin the life-long study of the learning abilities of African Gray parrots. At the time she first purchased a 13-month old Gray from a Chicago pet store, prevailing behaviorist theory held that animals were strictly creatures of instinct, incapable of true language or higher order thinking. Pepperberg's work with her bird Alex, along with similar work being done with chimpanzees and dolphins, directly challenged these assumptions and helped change the way that we think about animal brains.

There are several stories woven within Pepperberg's memoir about her thirty years with Alex. She discusses her training methodology and the various breakthroughs they had that demonstrated Alex's brain was clearly capable of doing all sorts of things science claimed he shouldn't be able to do. There is another thread that traces Pepperberg's struggle to gain funding and recognition for her work, her battles with academic politics and scientific dogma, and how her one pound ball of feathers helped to undermine centuries of human hubris regarding cognitive abilities we thought were unique to us.

Finally, this is also an emotional tale of a scientist who fell in love with her primary subject despite all of her efforts to maintain objectivity. It's hard to say who was the real teacher in Pepperberg's learning experiment with Alex, but there is no question the world is a richer place for their work together....more

I loved it! I tried to read The Alex Studies years ago, but it was so heavy on the scientific detail and analysis that I lost interest. This is written for the non-scientist with such a lovely, human voice. As a long-time bird lover who is very aware of how intelligent birds can be, I still found my mouth literally dropping open in surprise at some of the intellectual feats Alex accomplished. (He could add! He could sound out words!) And I laughed out loud at some of the anecdotes she shares, paI loved it! I tried to read The Alex Studies years ago, but it was so heavy on the scientific detail and analysis that I lost interest. This is written for the non-scientist with such a lovely, human voice. As a long-time bird lover who is very aware of how intelligent birds can be, I still found my mouth literally dropping open in surprise at some of the intellectual feats Alex accomplished. (He could add! He could sound out words!) And I laughed out loud at some of the anecdotes she shares, particularly the ones showing how mischievous Alex could get when he became bored with a task.) My only dissatisfactions with the book were 1. the fact that he died so unexpectedly and at such a young age, a fact that the book couldn't help and 2. she never explained what the autopsy found, leaving me with a huge question of Why? What happened? as I closed the book....more

Much enjoyed learning about the capacity of animals to learn and about their intrinsic unique personalities. Also appreciated the author's account of being a woman scientist having to fight gender prejudices and those against animals.

On October 25 2002, within two weeks of his possible re-election, Senator Paul Wellstone and his wife, Sheila, were killed in an airplane crash. Stunned, a public service was put together honoring him. Speakers from many walks of life spoke in his honor. Unsurprisingly (and Paul would likely have enjoyed it) the speeches became political. The media and opposite party villified this aspect of an overwhelmingly emotional event that spilled out into the streets. Disrturbingly, the scapegoat of allOn October 25 2002, within two weeks of his possible re-election, Senator Paul Wellstone and his wife, Sheila, were killed in an airplane crash. Stunned, a public service was put together honoring him. Speakers from many walks of life spoke in his honor. Unsurprisingly (and Paul would likely have enjoyed it) the speeches became political. The media and opposite party villified this aspect of an overwhelmingly emotional event that spilled out into the streets. Disrturbingly, the scapegoat of all of this was his son. His son! Can you imagine? BOTH your parents have been suddenly been ripped away forever from your life. They were hugely influential in public life. Paul, gregarious, with an ear always open to anyone who would talk to him, and Sheila, mostly known for her dedication to the causes of battered women. Can you imagine? You are overwhelmed by sudden grief, as is the public and likely 99% of the people you are in daily contact with. You say things that under almost any other circumstance would have been uttered only to that one person who is there to give you an ear in the lowest point of your life, and then the opposing party (if you don't know which one it was, please do some gooogling) manipulators go whining to the media "Unfair, unfair!" and the media just eats it up. Your words are their toys. Grief! We are talking about grief here. One of the most powerful and unpredictable emotions that exist. It's been over eleven years since this happened and the shameful politically motivated actions of his opponent's party (If you don't know his opponent, gooogle smarmy, he just might pop up) still bring a surge of negative emotions to my surface.

Why am I bringing this up? Because I do not want anyone to think I am being insensitive to the grief Irene Pepperberg expresses for the first chapter of this book. I can only say that I have grieved over the loss of pets in my life, and can verify that such grief is as real and overwhelming as grief over the loss of a human companion. I cannot say whether the publisher/editor or the author decided to begin the book with Pepperberg's and the public's grief over the loss of Alex, an African Gray parrot, but I found it unfortunate way to begin what was an otherwise fascinating book. I believe it was grief that directed this book. Otherwise, why start with an obituary from the the NY Times rather than an amusing and engaging anecdote, of which there are many?

I was led to believe this book would be about Alex and his remarkable intellectual abilities. So when it started by focusing on the author's loss and childhood, I would likely have stopped reading if not for this being a book group choice.

All in all the book could have been better. But Pepperberg is not a writer, she is a researcher who so happened to spend her entire life in the company of an animal who displayed human thought and speech beyond what anyone ever thought possible. This was published within a year of Alex's death. She was still in grief. And that's okay.

Any animal lover will appreciate Alex and Irene's story. So, don't hesitate to read it. The substance is fascinating and it reads quickly. I'm just a discerning reader. Authors often revisit and rewrite topics that they know well. I would love to see Pepperberg do this now that time has passed....more

I'm on p.40--and very surprised that the author is taking so long to get into her and Alex's story. These 40 pages could have been condensed into an Introduction.

Okay, I finished this. And once Dr. Pepperberg got past talking about herself, Alex came to life. The degree of communication that he developed with human language was astounding--just one example of how little humans have credited the ability of other species to communicate among themselves, let along cross-species.

Overall, the book waI'm on p.40--and very surprised that the author is taking so long to get into her and Alex's story. These 40 pages could have been condensed into an Introduction.

Okay, I finished this. And once Dr. Pepperberg got past talking about herself, Alex came to life. The degree of communication that he developed with human language was astounding--just one example of how little humans have credited the ability of other species to communicate among themselves, let along cross-species.

Overall, the book was poorly structured. (The first 100 pages should have been condensed into a handful, and the final chapter, following Alex's untimely demise, went THUD. And I thought 30 years of research with Alex deserved more pages than she allowed.)Pepperberg seemed so self-focused. At the end, she describes the agony of taking Alex's remains for an autopsy--but then does not reveal the results of that procedure. So you don't get to know why Alex died prematurely....more

I'm personally not a bird person, but I started listening to the audiobook version of this book mainly because it was available from my library, but also because a co-worker has a 2-year-old African grey parrot named Gracie. After hearing tales from him about his bird child that sound very similar to tales I tell of my 2-year-old human child, I thought this would be an interesting book to read.

Not more than a couple of hours after I finished reading this book about a famous African Grey ParrotI'm personally not a bird person, but I started listening to the audiobook version of this book mainly because it was available from my library, but also because a co-worker has a 2-year-old African grey parrot named Gracie. After hearing tales from him about his bird child that sound very similar to tales I tell of my 2-year-old human child, I thought this would be an interesting book to read.

Not more than a couple of hours after I finished reading this book about a famous African Grey Parrot who died at age 30 did I hear the fresh news of a bird named Horace who died after being in a friend's family for 45 years. That phrase really struck me ... a bird that had "been in the family for 45 years". Having an animal is always a big responsibility, but I cannot imagine having a bird that would outlive me and have to be passed along within the family. Losing such a bird would be like losing a family member in many ways.

A few weeks ago, we had to put our dog down. It was hard enough to do so with an animal that couldn't talk. We hoped she couldn't understand what we were saying. But if she could talk and we knew that she could understand the decisions that we were making in front of her, I don't think the decision-making process would have been the same. If she had been a bird that could comprehend what we were saying and could say, "please don't put me to sleep," I think I would have been a complete basketcase for weeks rather than be able to get on with my life. It's sad but true that we as humans react differently to living beings based on their size, longevity, and ability to communicate with and understand us.

The author tells us about her childhood and how she rarely socialized with anyone (other than her pet birds) until she started school. She grew up in a family that was not very demonstrative with their affection. That type of childhood is very foreign to me, so I'm glad that she started the book explaining this. I can't even imagine what type of social issues someone would have starting school if they'd really never reacted with anyone outside their family (and barely with anyone within her family). This background very much explains why she originally embarked on this project with the idea that she was going to approach her research project with Alex the bird from a strictly clinical point of view. She wasn't going to let herself become emotionally attached to him. However, the 30 years that she spent with him seem to have created a change within her because she did become emotionally attached to him. And she did come to the conclusion that she needed to study the intelligence of birds within a social rather than a clinical setting.

I had a 2-fold reaction to this book:1. How horrible it must have been to be a bird subjected to scientific experimentation for 30 years. How tedious to keep answering the same questions over and over about the names of objects, their color, and their size. 2. How wonderful that someone discovered how complex animal brains can be. And how great for this bird that he had someone to keep him from being bored day in and day out (if he was going to have to live in captivity).

I've also drawn some interesting conclusions as a result of reading it:1. Birds are more fascinating and intelligent than I originally thought.2. If a bird-sized brain can understand concepts like "none" and use phonics, then how much more intellectually advanced are the animals all around us who can't vocalize their thoughts?3. Most people shouldn't own birds because most people cannot provide them with the time and attention that they need to not become bored. 3. I never want to own a bird. I didn't have any desire to own one before, and now I really know that I don't ever want a bird (especially one that can talk).

That said, since reading this, I've become more aware of the birds that frequent my yard. I noticed them before, but I didn't think of them in terms of personalities. Now I wonder how old they might be, what they're thinking, and what personalities they have. We have a new mockingbird in the yard that's been lately antagonizing the neighborhood porch kitty (that my 2-year-old named Cumin). Cumin's been dive-bombed on numerous occasions. And I have to wonder what's going through the mockingbird's head. With the mockingbird's ability for language-acquisition, it makes me think that his/her thought process must be a complex one indeed.

One thing that my co-worker has said about his African grey parrot is that living with Gracie is like living with a little alien. Even though she speaks English, the thought processes she has seem to be very foreign to ours. However, being around a talking bird is beyond just being around someone who has a different culture. The author of this book made a similar statement in her conclusion. So I think that I'm going to from now on see birds as little aliens that we live among. Thus, the fabled "little green alien" we've been waiting for is as close as your nearest tree or pet store. ...more

I had read an article about Alex the African Grey parrot some years ago, prior to his death. I was fascinated by Alex's ability to communicate with Irene Pepperberg, who purchased him at a Chicago-area pet store when she began her research at Purdue University in the 1970s.

This book was both a personal tale of Alex's life and a non-technical look at the journey along the path of theories of communication and language and how animals and humans fit into the continuum. Alex had an irrepressible peI had read an article about Alex the African Grey parrot some years ago, prior to his death. I was fascinated by Alex's ability to communicate with Irene Pepperberg, who purchased him at a Chicago-area pet store when she began her research at Purdue University in the 1970s.

This book was both a personal tale of Alex's life and a non-technical look at the journey along the path of theories of communication and language and how animals and humans fit into the continuum. Alex had an irrepressible personality and a gift for learning. Time and again he defied the conventional wisdom about what a "bird-brain" had the capacity to do.

Irene Pepperberg, Alex's owner and the scientist who conducted the research about Alex, also defied what were considered to be the norms of animal behavior research and "boldly went where no one had gone before". Pepperberg broke new ground with Alex. Many colleagues in animal behavior research openly mocked her methods and questioned her results. She was denied funding and grants repeatedly because of her unconventional approach to the study of animal behavior.

Ultimately, Pepperberg demonstrates that her methods were rigorous and produced statistically and practically significant results. Alex didn't simply mimic words and sounds that he heard but that he understood concepts, attributes, phonemic awareness, and some basic mathematical concepts; similar to those of a 5-year-old child. Additionally, Alex spontaneously came up with his own words to describe objects; for example "cork nuts" for almonds.

Alex became a well-known personality in his own right, appearing on PBS's Scientific American Frontiers; being featured in articles in mainstream media as well as scientific journals.

While reading Alex & Me I became an avid fan of Alex and delighted in his over the top personality. There is no doubt that Alex was in-charge; of the lab, of the scientists studying him, and the students who assisted in the research.

"The most profound lesson that Alex taught us concerns the place of Homo sapiens in nature. The revolution in animal cognition of which Alex was an important part teaches us that humans are not unique, as we long believed. We are not superior to all other beings in nature. The idea of humans' separateness from the rest of nature is no longer tenable. Alex taught us that we are a part of nature, not apart from nature."

I would recommend Alex and Me to anyone who enjoys animals and is interested in the science of their behavior....more

A lot has been said about Pepperberg and her research, but what touched me was that Pepperberg wanted so much to prove her scientific chops that she often forced herself to keep an emotional distance from her beloved parrot while he was alive. This book is in large part an outpouring of her love, which gives it great power. My daughter, who is studying animal science at Ohio State, made her boyfriend listen to her read the entire last chapter over the phone.

Alex and Me, an avian memoir was such a joy to listen to. The reader was terrific. The story was poignant and funny at the same time.

About the book - POSSIBLE SPOILERS

Partly autobiographical, Irene Pepperberg's memoir reveals info about her own life, starting with her lonely, bleak childhood where her best friend was a dime-store parakeet called "No Name."

The author was an overachiever. She was just 16 when she was accepted by (M.I.T.) Massachusetts Institute of Technology with her latest pet paAlex and Me, an avian memoir was such a joy to listen to. The reader was terrific. The story was poignant and funny at the same time.

About the book - POSSIBLE SPOILERS

Partly autobiographical, Irene Pepperberg's memoir reveals info about her own life, starting with her lonely, bleak childhood where her best friend was a dime-store parakeet called "No Name."

The author was an overachiever. She was just 16 when she was accepted by (M.I.T.) Massachusetts Institute of Technology with her latest pet parakeet. After graduating, she earned her Ph.D. in chemistry at Harvard. But she found herself more compelled by the field of animal communication.

She chose African Grey parrots for her research because of their intelligence and clear speech. In 1976, the baby bird she named Alex — an acronym for Avian Language Experiment — was chosen at random from a cage in a pet shop.

When Alex died on September 6, 2007, it was a shock, because African Grey parrots generally live 50 to 60 years in captivity. His passing was devastating because Alex wasn't your normal, run-of-the-mill African Grey parrot; Alex was special. For the last 30 years, Alex had been the focus of research into the cognitive abilities of African Grey parrots. The goal was to see if Alex could "think", and he could!

Although his brain was no bigger than a walnut, when Alex died, he could identify 50 different objects, had a vocabulary of about 150 words, recognized quantities up to six and distinguished between seven colors and five shapes. More importantly, he had a grasp of concepts. He could tell you which objects were bigger, smaller, the same or different and why.

Alex would say, "I'm sorry," if he sensed that a researcher was annoyed with him. When he would get tired of his work and the questions, he'd say, "I wanna go back" (to his cage).

Alex and his owner developed a strong emotional relationship. When Alex died in September 2007, his last words to Pepperberg the day before were: "You be good. I love you."

I LOVE LOVED this audio book. There was just one thing that I was disappointed about. When Alex died unexpectedly at the young age of 31, they mentioned that they had a necropsy performed to determine the cause of death. Unfortunately, there was no mention of the results, which to me left unfinished business for the reader. Even if they were unable to determine the cause of death, something should have been mentioned at the end about this. Despite that, if you are an animal lover, be sure to give this book a try. I doubt that you will be disappointed....more

I saw Alex on TV many years ago and fell head-over-heels in love. He was so personable and smart and adorable!

While I wasn’t wild about Irene Pepperberg’s writing style and found her to be not quite as likeable in the book as she is in television interviews, the story of how she taught Alex and helped to reveal the incredible intelligence of these birds was still wonderful. And it’s an important book for anyone who cares about animal protection and animal rights. As Dr Pepperberg notes: “…a vasI saw Alex on TV many years ago and fell head-over-heels in love. He was so personable and smart and adorable!

While I wasn’t wild about Irene Pepperberg’s writing style and found her to be not quite as likeable in the book as she is in television interviews, the story of how she taught Alex and helped to reveal the incredible intelligence of these birds was still wonderful. And it’s an important book for anyone who cares about animal protection and animal rights. As Dr Pepperberg notes: “…a vast world of animal cognition exists out there, not just in African Grey parrots, but in other creatures, too [...:] Clearly animals know more than we think, and think a great deal more than we know.”

It’s hard to imagine that anyone could read this book and come away thinking that we have the right to use animals as we please. ...more

Okay so I finished this book abnormally fast due to a combination of sleeplessness and the intense interest in the connection between bird and human. I am ashamed to admit that I emotionally impulse bought a green cheek conure back in December and boy oh boy, do I wish I would have been a responsible pet owner about it and done research prior to this purchase. But with striking similarities to 'Marley & Me', I have whole wholeheartedly fallen in love with my feathered friend. And this book jOkay so I finished this book abnormally fast due to a combination of sleeplessness and the intense interest in the connection between bird and human. I am ashamed to admit that I emotionally impulse bought a green cheek conure back in December and boy oh boy, do I wish I would have been a responsible pet owner about it and done research prior to this purchase. But with striking similarities to 'Marley & Me', I have whole wholeheartedly fallen in love with my feathered friend. And this book just makes me want to run home from wherever I am to squeeze the bejeezus out of him. The information, the story, the heartwarming detail... Pepperberg does an absolutely splendid job telling her and Alex's love story. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND THIS BOOK FOR ANY BIRD OWNER....more

I've followed Dr. Pepperberg and her subject, Alex, for many years. This book was written after Alex's death and is much more about Dr. Pepperberg who isn't very interesting, than the fantastically deep and intelligent Alex. A disappointing book.

This story was fascinating, and I enjoyed the window on animal cognition. Having grown fond of Alex, I also mourned his loss. Here is a beautiful passage that aptly describes his premature passing: "Alex left us as a magician might exit the stage: a blinding flash, a cloud of smoke, and the weaver of wizardry is gone, leaving us awestruck at what we'd seen, and wondering what other secrets remained hidden."

A fantastic book about Dr Pepperberg and her parrot Alex. At the end i was afraid she was going to elevate animals above humans, she did not, but did a terrific job of defining our relationship with all of nature. I wish I could quote it here, but the book expired on my overdrive and we don't get enough data here to download it again( point for paper text--when it is overdue, it is still access able to you!) I love when my random choices of books coincide. I just ,started reading, really readingA fantastic book about Dr Pepperberg and her parrot Alex. At the end i was afraid she was going to elevate animals above humans, she did not, but did a terrific job of defining our relationship with all of nature. I wish I could quote it here, but the book expired on my overdrive and we don't get enough data here to download it again( point for paper text--when it is overdue, it is still access able to you!) I love when my random choices of books coincide. I just ,started reading, really reading, but still digitally, Alan Alda's book "If I Understood You,Would I Have This Look on my Face?" Dr Pepper ( ;-) talks with great excitement about she and Alex being interviewed by Alan Alda and he writes about being asked by Scientific American to host Frontiers on PBS. Synchronicity, love it, loved the book!

If you read this book and enjoy the Parrot info, try Dick King Smith's "Harry's Mad". It is a YA book but a wonderful story about a boy and his parrot. (by the author of Babe, the Gallant Pig among other fun animal tales.)...more

I wanted to love this book because I've read a lot of thirdhand information about Alex from other scientists. It seemed like it was high time to read commentary from the woman who actually knew and loved Alex. I hate to bash Dr. Pepperberg, because she's obviously an intelligent woman who has contributed much to science. But this book is ruined by its author.

Much of the book is a screed about how much Pepperberg has suffered, how poorly understood she is, how difficult her childhood was. But nonI wanted to love this book because I've read a lot of thirdhand information about Alex from other scientists. It seemed like it was high time to read commentary from the woman who actually knew and loved Alex. I hate to bash Dr. Pepperberg, because she's obviously an intelligent woman who has contributed much to science. But this book is ruined by its author.

Much of the book is a screed about how much Pepperberg has suffered, how poorly understood she is, how difficult her childhood was. But none of her experiences strike me as particularly scarring or difficult; instead, her writing reads like the ramblings of an extremely privileged woman who is resentful that she did not immediately get what she wanted.

Pepperberg quotes from her notes about Alex and her commentary is distinctly unscientific. Comments like, "Alex is bitchy today!" have no place in scientific research. She comes across as unstable, flying completely off the handle when Alex chews up a piece of paper. And there is little in the book about the actual research conducted or about Alex's capabilities.

The book is also in dire need of an editor. Major events are completely left out. Pepperberg begins discussing her decision to move with her husband without ever previously discussing his existence, for example. She refers to him by name without so much as mentioning their relationship.

All in all, a disappointment. And it only gets two stars because Alex--what little we see of him in the book-- is so damn charming. ...more

I absolutely loved this book! Being an African Grey parrot mom, I learned so much about their intelligence. Alex was an amazingly smart bird. I like that he was so witty and had the classic attitude I see with my bird. When I speak of Alex to my friends they cannot believe some of the things he said and did. What a special bird! His death was tragic and I couldn't help but cry. I feel he knew his time had come. Alex had so much more to do on this Earth. It's such a shame he left so soon. Alex haI absolutely loved this book! Being an African Grey parrot mom, I learned so much about their intelligence. Alex was an amazingly smart bird. I like that he was so witty and had the classic attitude I see with my bird. When I speak of Alex to my friends they cannot believe some of the things he said and did. What a special bird! His death was tragic and I couldn't help but cry. I feel he knew his time had come. Alex had so much more to do on this Earth. It's such a shame he left so soon. Alex has touched my soul and even though I never knew about his story until recently I will never forget him.

As for the author, Dr. Irene Pepperberg, I think she is a fantastic, patient research scientist. I do not think she was feeling sorry for herself when writing about her childhood. As for writing certain things in her journal I think she just simplified the day after long and tiresome training sessions. The book was written well. I would have liked to have had more Alex moments because his witty attitude made me laugh! I laughed and I cried. Well done Dr. Pepperberg. ...more

Of course this was another one of those animal stories (a la Marley and Me) that had me in tears at the end, which I both love and hate at the same time. It's like, we know these books are going to end this way, so why do put ourselves through the lovely story only to get to the ultimate pain? But I did enjoy it, read it basically in one sitting this morning before work--thankfully I was working late! Particulary liked the parts about her life and her connections to Alex more so than the detailsOf course this was another one of those animal stories (a la Marley and Me) that had me in tears at the end, which I both love and hate at the same time. It's like, we know these books are going to end this way, so why do put ourselves through the lovely story only to get to the ultimate pain? But I did enjoy it, read it basically in one sitting this morning before work--thankfully I was working late! Particulary liked the parts about her life and her connections to Alex more so than the details about his training and how smart he was. The animal/human bonding is what I go for....more

The books gives a simplified synopsis of the thirty years Alex and Irene worked together in answering the question "Does of parrot have the capability of developing language?" I believe that Alex provided the answer, Yes. In their years together Alex learned to label objects, he understood numbers up to six, he knew his colors, he had a concept of "none" and much more. This book was a lovely tribute to a little guy who died too soon.

My dad had a parrot and it didn't like me. I was already an adult and didn't live with my parents but I felt sorry for the poor bird as I knew it would outlive my dad (it did) and that the bird's life was to be more of an interactive plant than a member of the household.

I feel even worse about my dad's parrot now that I've read this wonderful book! Alex was an incredible being and Pepperberg did an outstanding job explaining about her relationship with Alex and the efforts she made to bridge thMy dad had a parrot and it didn't like me. I was already an adult and didn't live with my parents but I felt sorry for the poor bird as I knew it would outlive my dad (it did) and that the bird's life was to be more of an interactive plant than a member of the household.

I feel even worse about my dad's parrot now that I've read this wonderful book! Alex was an incredible being and Pepperberg did an outstanding job explaining about her relationship with Alex and the efforts she made to bridge the communication gap between them.

I listened to the audiobook which was 5 segments, a fairly short book. I very much enjoyed the biographical bits of Pepperberg's youth, her education experience leading to a PhD in Chemistry, her struggles throughout her research and the descriptions of the variety of places where she did the work, and the descriptions of the training method and information found. The best parts were the little stories about Alex and her which went above and beyond the strict science. I loved this book.

Part memoir, part scientific study, part love story. I loved learning about Alex, a more than remarkable parrot, and the researcher who taught him to use language and proved that birds (at least gray parrots) are infinitely more intelligent than we had ever imagined. I was also inspired by Dr. Pepperberg's persistence to do the work she loved in spite of mighty personal and professional obstacles.

Wonderful, I loved this. The beginning is sad, the author goes on in detail about the many condolences she received when Alex died. She received many heartfelt messages and cards offering sympathy. It was very moving and by the end of the story I was glad she had gotten the heart wrenching part of her loss out of the way. For me it meant I wasn't a blubbering mess when Alex did die. He was a wonderful little beast. I loved all the anecdotal stories about him.

Despite all of Alex's acclaim, I'm not sure I'd ever heard of him, and that includes years of psych classes including a few on animal behavior. I've seen all the videos of signing chimps, and have visited the National Zoo and it's Think Tank. But I've never found birds particularly interesting and don't watch the news, so maybe I'd somehow missed all the 'thinking parrot' stories. I picked this up from the bargain books, and certainly consider it money and a day well spent.

Pepperberg tries to brDespite all of Alex's acclaim, I'm not sure I'd ever heard of him, and that includes years of psych classes including a few on animal behavior. I've seen all the videos of signing chimps, and have visited the National Zoo and it's Think Tank. But I've never found birds particularly interesting and don't watch the news, so maybe I'd somehow missed all the 'thinking parrot' stories. I picked this up from the bargain books, and certainly consider it money and a day well spent.

Pepperberg tries to break down animal behavior and psychology techniques for the layperson, and I think she does a good job. As someone with an undergrad pysch background, I wanted more details, but I understand what she's trying to do with this book.

Some people have criticized her somewhat detached approach in her recollections of Alex in the middle of the book, but I can understand her need for reserve and distance. As a woman studying a field known for the 'Clever Hans' effect that she describes, there can't be any room for accusations of unprofessional attachment to these animals. I can appreciate what she describes of her fairly rigorous experiments considering the attention span of the birds, although I wasn't sure her excuses for their mistakes were always valid.

The book was likeable and interesting, and the step by step explanations of the birds' cognition was well-done. Breaking down linguistics and developing cognition is difficult, and I think Pepperberg did well in her experiments and in her writing.

It's not quite the heartwarming story I expect from most popular 'me and my animal' books, so don't pick it up expecting a Marley and Me. Much of the book is spent on the author's kvetching about how hard her life and academic career have been. Some sections leaned towards a thinly veiled plea for money and support of her foundation. But if she's truly scrambling for money to continue her (admittedly interesting) research, I won't begrudge her a book deal and a somewhat self-indulgent storytelling technique.

If you're interested in birds, or language, or animal behavior, or pop psychology books, I'd highly recommend it. If you're looking for a quick and thought-provoking read and can look past some of the 'my life in academia is SO HARD' tendencies, pick it up. But I'm glad I paid $6 for the bargain version....more

Let me start by saying I loved reading about Alex. From the title you would expect that most of the book would actually be about Alex, but you would be wrong. Much of the book is about Irene and Irene's research, troubles, relationships, etc. I simply didn't care about Irene. I wanted more Alex!

Irene Maxine Pepperberg is a scientist noted for her studies in animal cognition, particularly in relation to parrots. She is an adjunct professor of psychology at Brandeis University and a lecturer at Harvard University. She is well known for her comparative studies into the cognitive fundamentals of language and communication, and was one of the first to try to extend work on language learning iIrene Maxine Pepperberg is a scientist noted for her studies in animal cognition, particularly in relation to parrots. She is an adjunct professor of psychology at Brandeis University and a lecturer at Harvard University. She is well known for her comparative studies into the cognitive fundamentals of language and communication, and was one of the first to try to extend work on language learning in animals other than humans (exemplified by the Washoe project) to a bird species. Dr. Pepperberg is also active in wildlife conservation, especially in relation to parrots....more